Mom Wants State To Take Her Son Out Of Boys Ranch

November 19, 1986|By Wesley Loy of The Sentinel Staff

TAVARES — The mother of an 8-year-old boy has told state authorities to return her son or move him to a foster home because she fears the boy might have been sexually molested at the Lake County Boys Ranch.

The boy was removed from his home in December 1984 after Eustis police investigated a report that the boy had been molested by his stepfather. Prosecutors did not press charges, but the boy was placed in the custody of the state Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services.

Since then the mother, 31, who lives in the Sumter County town of Webster, says she has been trying to meet HRS requirements to have her son returned to her.

According to HRS and Lake sheriff's reports, the boy was living at the Lake County Boys Ranch in Altoona. The ranch is a private, non-profit operation licensed by the state to take in abused and abandoned children.

On Oct. 10, the reports say, a 14-year-old Orange County boy living at the ranch asked a 15-year-old Lake County boy to come into his room. The 14-year- old asked the other boy to perform a sex act, but the boy refused and left the room.

The 14-year-old responded that it didn't matter because he could get two others, including the Sumter County woman's son, to perform the act.

Officials at the boys ranch did not hear of the incident until two days later; they notified the sheriff's department and HRS.

Sheriff Noel E. Griffin Jr. said Tuesday the 14-year-old boy was arrested Oct. 22 and charged with sexual battery and assault on a law enforcement officer. After the boy was booked into the Lake County Jail he was turned over to HRS workers, the sheriff said.

HRS officials and Tom Manning, executive director of the boys ranch, said Tuesday they can't comment specifically on the case because of state confidentiality laws.

The 8-year-old's mother said she does not want her son to remain at the boys ranch because he is too young. However, she said she is worried about threats from HRS officials to move him further away from her and keep his whereabouts secret.

Jim Knight, HRS program administrator, said HRS informs parents where their children are being kept. He conceded some children, when moved to foster homes, sometimes end up further away from their parents because of the scarcity of foster homes.

Knight said during a routine six-month review later this month or in December a judge will determine if counseling sessions have gone well enough to justify the boy's return to his home.

Tavares attorney Michelle Morley, who is representing the mother, said no hearing date has been set. She would not comment further on the case.

Tom Manning, executive director of the boys ranch, said boys staying at the ranch are watched constantly. The ranch's two cottages can accommodate as many as 24 youngsters ranging from 8 to 17 years old and at least half are victims of sexual abuse.

Each cottage is supervised by ''house parents,'' a married couple trained in child care, Manning said.